Patient ventilation device including blower with divided air outlet channels
The invention relates to a patient ventilation or breathing device and components therefore for use in all forms of respiratory apparatus ventilation systems including invasive and non-invasive ventilation, positive airway pressure therapy, Continuous Positive Airway Pressure (CPAP), and particularly Bi-Level therapy and treatment for sleep disordered breathing (SDB) conditions such as Obstructive Sleep Apnea (OSA), and for various other respiratory disorders and diseases. The invention particularly relates to a blower, to a blade, to a gasket, to a cable, to an impeller, to a gas inlet and inlet member, to an improved air path or fluid flow path and components thereof, and/or to a modular ventilation or breathing device as referred to above and particularly incorporating one or more of the other aspects of the invention.
1 . A self-sealing cable comprising:
a plurality of metal wires; and
a continuous silicone body, the plurality of metal wires being embedded within the continuous silicone body so that the continuous silicone body intervenes between each of the plurality of metal wires,
wherein the continuous silicone body serves as an insulator for each of the plurality of metal wires, and
wherein the cable is configured to electrically insulate the metal wires from each other.
2 . The cable according to claim 1 , wherein the plurality of metal wires are stranded wires or litz wires.
3 . The cable according to claim 1 , wherein the plurality of metal wires comprises at least three metal wires.
4 . The cable according to claim 1 , wherein the silicone body serves as a coating for each individual wire, wherein the silicone body holds each of the metal wires in place relative to each other, and wherein the silicone body serves as a self-sealing skin for the plurality of metal wires to allow the cable to be sealingly clamped between two components.
5 . The cable according to claim 1 , wherein the silicone body has a thickness of at least 0.5 mm as measured along the shortest distance from the outer surface of the cable to an outer surface of one of the plurality of metal wires.
6 . The cable of claim 1 , wherein the plurality of metal wires are positioned in a linear arrangement.
7 . The cable of claim 1 , wherein the plurality of metal wires are positioned in a circular arrangement around a central metal wire.
8 . The cable of claim 1 , wherein the diameters of the wires of the plurality of metal wires are the same.
9 . The cable of claim 1 , wherein the diameters of the wires of the plurality of metal wires are different.
10 . The cable of claim 1 , wherein the continuous silicone body forms an outer surface of the cable.
11 . The cable of claim 1 , wherein all of the metal wires of the cable are embedded within the continuous silicone body so that the continuous silicone body intervenes between all of the plurality of metal wires.
12 . The cable of claim 1 , wherein all of the metal wires are aligned in the same axial direction.
13 . The cable of claim 1 , wherein the silicone body is configured so that no two metal wires touch each other.
14 . A gasket assembly configured for a breathing or ventilation device for providing a supply of air at positive pressure, the gasket assembly comprising:
a gasket comprising:
a core of a comparatively hard material; and
an outer layer being of a comparatively soft material as compared to the core; and
the self-sealing cable of claim 1 ,
wherein the gasket and the self-sealing cable are configured to sealingly separate different areas of a flow path.
15 . The gasket assembly according to claim 14 , wherein the core is made of aluminium and/or the outer layer is made of silicone, said outer layer covering substantially the entire gasket.
16 . The gasket assembly according to claim 14 , wherein the core and/or the outer layer is/are provided with one or more structural elements configured to facilitate sealing contact, positioning, suspension and/or dampening of a blower and/or a housing defining an air path.
17 . The gasket assembly according to claim 14 , wherein the gasket is of substantially planar shape.
18 . The gasket assembly according to claim 17 , wherein the different areas or compartments include high pressure areas and low pressure areas.
19 . The gasket assembly according to claim 14 , wherein the gasket has two sides, a first side configured to sealingly contact and close off a first part of a housing and a second side configured to sealingly contact and close off a second part of a housing thereby defining different areas or compartments.
20 . The gasket assembly according to claim 14 , further comprising at least two openings or holes configured to allow an air flow to be directed from one side of the gasket to its other side.
21 . The gasket assembly according to claim 14 , further comprising support structures with openings or holes that are established by the outer layer.
22 . The gasket assembly according to claim 14 , wherein the gasket is configured to separate high pressure areas of the breathing or ventilation device from low or ambient pressure areas.
23 . A flow path for a breathing or ventilation device configured to provide a supply of air at positive pressure, the flow path comprising:
a first flow path housing part having an air outlet and being in sealing contact with a first side of the gasket of the gasket assembly according to claim 14 ; and
a second flow path housing part having an air inlet and being in sealing contact with a second side of said gasket.
24 . The flow path according to claim 23 , further comprising a blower that is supported by said gasket and is located inside the first flow path housing part.
25 . The flow path according to claim 24 , wherein the blower and its motor are supported in the flow path on one end of the motor by way of the first flow path housing part and are supported on the air inlet and/or the air outlet of the blower by way of the gasket.
26 . The flow path of claim 25 , wherein the blower and its motor are supported by support structures provided at openings in the gasket so that air is allowed to flow from one side of the gasket to the other side.
27 . The flow path according to claim 23 , wherein the first flow path housing part has a generally cup-like structure, and wherein the gasket sealingly closes the generally cup-like structure.
28 . The flow path of claim 27 , wherein the first flow path housing part is separated into at least two chambers by a separation wall.
29 . The flow path of claim 28 , wherein each of the at least two chambers has a generally cup-like structure, and wherein the gasket sealingly closes the generally cup-like structures.
30 . The flow path of claim 28 , wherein the second flow path housing part has a generally cup-like structure and is separated into at least two chambers by a separation wall, and wherein the gasket sealingly closes the generally cup-like structure.
31 . The flow path according to claim 23 , wherein the flow path is configured so that breathable gas flowing along the flow path crosses the gasket at least twice.
32 . The flow path of claim 31 , wherein the flow path is configured so that breathable gas flowing along the flow path flows through at least two openings or holes provided in the gasket.